Retrievable well bore indexing apparatus



Jan. 28, 1969 W.'D. MYERS RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. is. 1966 140 1.

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RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 Sheet 3 of 7 mum/I H4: YEES 5/ 5mm! laz -J [NVE/VTOP.

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RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING AiPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 Sheet 4 of 7 Ia? P fvvwrae.

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RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 Sheet '5 of '2 fNws/vroe.

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' RETRI EVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING' APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 Sheet 6 of 7 fvvewrme.

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RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1966 Sheet 7 of 7 $0.10. LI ra.10a

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United States Patent 3,424,246 RETRIEVABLE WELL BORE INDEXING APPARATUS William D. Myers, Houston, Tex., assignor to Baker Oil Tools, Inc., City of Commerce, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 572,364

U.S. Cl. 166-127 28 Claims Int. Cl. E21b 23/00, 33/12 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well bore for facilitating perforating the well casing at vertically spaced intervals and the subsequent fluid treatment of the earth zones through the perforated intervals.

Such apparatus including an indexer having anchor means for releasably anchoring the indexer at a selected location in the well casing, the indexer being releasably connectible to a wire line running tool for setting the indexer in the well casing.

Such apparatus including packer means releasably engageable with the indexer and having vertically spaced packing elements for sealing engagement with the well casing between the perforated intervals.

Such apparatus in which the indexer has releasable lock means for preventing release of the anchor means, and the packer means is connectible to the lock means to release the same.

The present invention relates to subsurface well bore apparatus, and more particularly to retrievable apparatus adapted to be set in a well bore for the purpose of providing a fixed reference point from which other equipment can be located accurately in the well bore for the performance of desired operations therewithin.

In the United States patent application of Hiram H. Fisher, Jr., William D. Myers, and David V. Chenoweth, Ser. No. 510,001, filed Nov. 26, 1965, for Multiple Injection Well Packer Apparatus, a packer apparatus is disclosed for injecting fluids into a desired length of a formation zone through a plurality of longitudinally spaced casing perforations located at predetermined points in the casing string. The packer apparatus has a multiplicity of packing elements capable of being sealed against blank portions of the casing, the packing elements being spaced apart by required distances so that the casing perforations at each point are disposed between a pair of packing elements. Typically, the packing elements are spaced from each other by relatively short distances, which, for example, may be two feet, the perforations at each injection point being located within this two feet interval. Following setting of the packer at the required location in the casing, fluids are pumped into the packer, discharging therefrom between each pair of packing elements for passage through the spaced perforations and into the formation surrounding the casing. By discharging the fluids from the packer apparatus between adjacent packing elements of each pair, and through the separated perforations, a substantially uniform injection of the fluid along the desired length of formation zone can be obtained.

The casing perforations are produced by a perforating gun having shots spaced from one another the desired distance to provide the required perforation pattern in the well casing upon firing of the gun. The gun is then retrieved and the multiple injection packer run in the well bore and set therewithin so that its packing elements straddle the perforations at each of the predetermined spaced points, in order to isolate the perforations at such points from each other. The present invention is directed 3,424,246 Patented Jan. 28, 1969 to and has for an object the provision of an improved indexer or locator capable of being set in the well casing preparatory to use of the perforating gun and multiple injection packer, so as to function as a fixed reference point against which the gun and packer can bear, thereby insuring the production of casing perforations at required locations and pattern in the casing, and the setting of the multiple injection packer with its adjacent packing elements straddling the perforation or perforations at each location.

Another object of the invention is to provide an indexer or locator capable of being anchored at the desired location in the well bore so that casing perforations can be produced in the casing by a proper gun assembly at precise points, the indexer or locator being readily retrievable from the well casing after the required operations in the well bore have been performed, such operations including the use of a multiple injection packer, for example, and the pumping of fluids through the packer and through the casing perforations into the formation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an indexer adapted to be anchored in the well casing to serve as a fixed reference point for accurate locating of a multiple injection packer in the casing with respect to casing perforations through which fluids .are to be injected into the formation, the multiple injection packer and indexer being simultaneously retrievable from the casing. If desired, the multiple injection packer can be removed from the indexer at any time without disturbing the set condition of the latter in the casing, the indexer being releasable and retrievable subsequently.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of a form in which it may be embodied. This form is shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. It will now be described in detail, for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating the lowering of a retrievable indexer and a setting tool on a wire line in a casing to a desired reference point at which the indexer is to be set in the casing;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the indexer anchored in the well casing and a perforating gun lowered thereagainst for shooting perforations in the well casing at required points or locations;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a multiple injection packer associated with the set indexer so that fluids can be pumped through the packer and through the individual perforations previously for-med in the casing by the gun;

FIGS. 4 and 4a together constitute a longitudinal section through the indexer and lower portion of the setting tool, with the indexer parts in their initial retracted positions for lowering of the apparatus in the Well casing, FIG. 4a being a lower continuation of FIG. 4;

FIGS. 5 and 5a are views corresponding to FIGS. 4 and 4a, illustrating the indexer having been anchored against the wall of the well casing and with the setting tool in a released condition with respect to the indexer, for removal from the well casing, FIG. 5a being a lower continuation of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 6, 6a, 6b and 60 together constitute a longitudinal section through the lower portion of the multiple injection packer in association with the set indexer, FIGS. 61:, 6b and 60 being lower constinu'ations of FIGS. 6, 6a and 6b, respectively;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial longitudinal section through a portion of the indexer and a portion of the multiple injection packer while the latter is being inserted in the indexer;

FIG. 8 is a cross-section, on a reduced scale, taken along the line 88 on FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-section, on a reduced scale, taken along the line 9-9 on FIG. 7;

FIGS. 10 and 10a together constitute a longitudinal section through the indexer and lower portion of the multiple injection packer, illustrating the indexer in its released condition from the well casing, permitting its elevation, together with the packer, in the well casing, and withdrawal therefrom at the top of the well bore.

The apparatus illustrated in the drawings is intended for use to perform the multiple injection of fluids through spaced perforations P that are to be provided in a well casing C and into the surrounding formation. As disclosed in FIG. 1, a retrievable indexer or locating tool A is releasably connected to a setting tool B and is lowered on a wire line D, which has an electric conductive core therein, through the casing to a desired location therewithin at which the retrievable indexer is to be anchored.

Following setting or anchoring of the indexer in the casing, the setting tool B is released therefrom and the setting tool and wire line D are then elevated in and removed from the well casing.

A perforation gun E, which is preferably of the simultaneously firing or salvo type, is then lowered on a suitable wire line F in the casing and will come to rest on the retrievable indexer. The shots in the perforating gun are spaced along its length in accordance with the spacing of perforations P desired in the casing. As disclosed in FIG. 2, the gun charges are spaced from one another by predetermined amounts so as to leave blank casing intervals H against which the packing elements 10, 11, 12 of the multiple injection packer can seal after the latter is run in the well casing. The gun E is fired to produce the desired pattern of perforations P in the casing, which, for example, may be three sets of perforations as disclosed in FIG. 2. Of course, the number of perforations at each point in the well casing and the number of sets of perforations can be varied depending upon the desired operation to be performed, as well as the spacing between sets of perforations.

After the casing has been perforated, the gun E is removed therefrom and the multiple injection packer M of the type specifically illustrated in the above-identified United States patent application, Ser. No. 510,001, is run in the casing on tubing R and will come to rest upon and in association with the retrievable indexer A, which remains anchored at its set location. This multiple injecton packer has the packing elements 10, 11, 12 along its length, which are spaced from one another by preselected distances, such that upon being set or expanded against the well casing, they will seal against blank casing on opposite sides of the sets of perforations P, as disclosed in FIG. 3. In the above referred to patent application, the uppermost and lowermost packing elements 12, 11 are of the mechanically set type; whereas, the intervening packing elements 10 are of the inflatable or balloon type, being expanded outwardly in response to the pressure of fluid being pumped down through the tubing string R and through the well packer for discharge from outlets 13 in the packer between each pair of expanded packing elements. The desired fluids, such as described in the above-identified patent application, are pumped through the tubing string and packer for discharge through its outlets 13 and for passage through the respective casing perforations P into the surrounding formation after the packing elements are sealed against the casing. After the fluid injecting operation has been performed, the packing elements 10, 11, 12 are retracted. The multiple injection packer can then be removed from its relation to the indexer A and elevated to the top of the well bore, leaving the indexer in place, if desired.- HQWever, the present invention also contemplates the use of the multiple injection packer M for releasing the indexer or locator A from its anchored position in the casing and for elevating it therewith to the top of the well bore.

The indexer A includes a central tubular body 14 having an upper box box 15 provided with a female lefthand thread 16, its lower end being threadedly connected to a body nut 17 that is engaged by a spring seat 18 carrying a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinally extending centering pins 19 surrounded by helical compression springs 20. The lower ends of the springs bear against the upper end of the spring seat 18, the upper ends of the srings bearing against an alignment plate 21 through which the centering pins are slidable. This alignment plate engages a downwardly facing shoulder 22 on a slip ring 23 that has a skirt 24 enclosing the springs 20 and spring seat 18, the lower end of the skirt being threadedly secured to a guide 25 surrounding the nut 17, this guide extending under the latter but having a full opening 26 therethrough in alignment with the central opening or passage 27 through the body.

A plurality of circum-ferentially spaced slips 28 are coupled to the upper portion of the slip ring 23 so that the slips move jointly in longitudinal directions. However, the slips can shift radially inwardly and outwardly of the slip ring, as by forming the lower portions of the slips as T-shaped heads 29 slidably received in companion transversely extending T-shaped slots 30 in the upper portion of the slip ring. The slips 28 have external teeth 31 adapted to embed themselves in the wall of the well casing C and inner surfaces 32 tapering in a downward direction and slidable along companion external tapered surfaces 33 on an expander 34 initially secured to the body 14 by one or a plurality of shear screws 35 received within a circumferential groove 36 in the body.

Relative downward movement of the expander 34 along the body 14 and the Slips 28 will shift the slips radially outwardly into anchoring engagement with the well casing C; whereas, relative upward movement of the expander with respect to the slips will retract the latter from the casing, by virtue of a tongue and groove interconnection between the expander and slips. Thus, the slips 28 are received in longitudinal slots 37 in the expander, the base of each slot constituting the external expander surface 33, each of these slots having side grooves 38 adjacent to its base 33, and inclined in the same direction and to the same extent as the base, and receiving companion tongues 39 extending outwardly from opposite sides of the slips 28. Accordingly, a positive slidable connection is provided between the expander 34 and slips 28, such that their relative longitudinal separation will effect radial inward retraction of the slips 28 from the casing C.

The upper portion of the expander 34 is threadedly, or otherwise suitably, secured to a housing 40 extending upwardly along the body 14 and thereabove t a substantial extent, an upper guide 41 being threadedly secured to the upper portion of the housing. A retrieving sleeve 42 is slidably mounted within the housing 40, being secured initially to the upper portion of the body 14 by one or a plurality of shear screws 43 received within a circumferential body groove 44, this retrieving sleeve having a cap screw or key 45 extending therefrom and receivable within a companion longitudinal slot 46 in the housing to prevent relative longitudinal rotation therebetween while permitting their relative longitudinal movement. Fluid leakage between the retrieving sleeve and body is prevented by a suitable side seal ring 47 on the body engaging the sleeve; whereas, leakage between the retrieving sleeve and housing is prevented by a suitable side seal ring 48 on the sleeve engaging the inner surface of the housing below the key 45.

Assuming the slips 28 have been expanded outwardly, as described hereinbelow, they are locked in their expanded and anchored condition by a lock device acting between the expander 34 and the body 14. As disclosed, the housing has inwardly directed internal ratchet teeth 49, which can be for-med as an internal ratchet or buttress thread, facing in an upward direction and extending along its length, which is initially disposed above a split lock ring 50 having external ratchet teeth or a buttress thread 51 companion to the housing teeth 49 but facing in the opposite or downward directionQThis lock ring encompasses a support ring 52, the lower end of which bears against an upwardly facing shoulder 53 on the body 14, and the upper end of which bears against an abutment ring 54, which is split or made in two circumferential pieces, disposed within an external groove 55 in the indexer body. The inner surface of the lock ring 50 has internal tapered cam teeth 56 engageable with companion external tapered cam teeth 57 on the lock ring support.

As described hereinbelow, upon relative downward shifting of the housing 40 and expander 34 along the body 14, for the purpose of expanding the slips 28 outwardly, the housing ratchet teeth 49 will ratchet downwardly freely over the lock ring teeth 51, the lock ring 50 being contractible to the required extent about the support ring 52 because of the clearance provided between the cam teeth 56, 57 on the lock ring and support ring (FIG. 7). However, any tendency of the housing 40 and expander 34 to move upwardly is resisted by the coengagement between the ratchet teeth 49, 51 which tends to shift the lock ring 50 upwardly along the support ring 52, the cam teeth 56, which taper in a downward direction, urging the lock ring laterally outwardly and retaining its ratchet teeth 51 fully meshed with the housing teeth 49, and in this manner precluding upward or return movement of the housing 40 and expander 34 along the body 14. The support ring 52 engages the abutment ring 54, and is prevented from moving upwardly along the body thereby. It is to be noted that the abutment ring 54 has beveled upper and lower inner corners 58 and is received within the body groove 55 that has companion tapered upper and lower sides 59. The upward force imposed on the support ring 52 would tend to cam the abutment ring 54 out of its groove 55. However, such removal from the groove is prevented since the retrieving sleeve 42, at first, encompasses the abutment ring 54, as disclosed in FIG. 4a, for example, being held in such position by the shear screws 43. It is only after an upward pull is taken on the retrieving sleeve 42 to shear the screws 43 that itcan be elevated along the body 14 from the ring 54 to permit expansion of the latter from the body groove 55 and release of the support ring 52 for slidable upward movement along the body 14. The retrieving sleeve is movable upwardly into engagement with a housing shoulder 60 to carry the housing 40 and expander 34 upwardly with it and effect retraction of the slips 28.

The indexer has its parts in their initial retracted conditions disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 4a, with all shear screws intact. It is attached to a setting tool B of a known type, such as illustrated in United States Patent Nos. 2,640,546 and 2,713,910, the setting tool being connected to the lower end of the wire line D, which, preferably, is of the electrically conductive type. Since the setting tool is known and is described in the above patents, and per se forms no part of the present invention, only its lower portion has been disclosed in the drawings. As shown, such lower portion includes an elongate mandrel 61 surrounded by a setting sleeve 62, this setting sleeve having a nut 63 threaded thereto, which, in turn, is threadedly secured to the upper portion of an adjustable setting sleeve 64, the lower end of which bears upon the upper housing guide 41. The lower end of the mandrel 61 is threadedly connected to a nut 65, which is, in turn, threadedly attached to a retrieving sleeve 66 having an inwardly directed flange 67 that clamps a coupling adapter 68 between it and the lower end of the nut. The upper portion of a release stud 69 is threadedly secured to the coupling adapter 68, the lower end of the stud being threadedly attached to the upper portion of a tension rod 70 extending downwardly in the apparatus and within a latching sleeve 71 that has circumferentially spaced spring-like legs '72 depending from the upper portion of the latching sleeve and terminating in threaded latch feet 73 that have external threads 74 meshing with the internal threads 16 of the body 14. The upper faces of the external threads 74are tapered in an upward direction.

The threaded latch feet 73 are positively held in mesh with the body box threads 16 by a cam or expander member 75 threadedly secured to the tension rod 70 and locked thereon by a suitable lock nut 76. This cam has a tapered upper surface 77 engaging companion surfaces 78 on the latch feet, such that any upward force transmitted to the tension rod 70 will be exerted through the cam 75 onto the latch feet 73, which are thereby held in threaded mesh with the body box threads 16, so that the upward force is, in turn, transmitted to the indexer body 14.

The release stud 69 has an intermediate reduced diameter or weakened portion 79' at which the stud will pull apart when subjected to a predetermined tensile force. When the stud disrupts at its weakened section, the tension rod 70 can drop down, the cam 75 dropping away from the latch feet 73 and removing the holding force from the latter. The rod drops down until a shoulder 80 on its upper portion engages an inwardly directed shoulder 81 on the latch sleeve 71. A nut 82 is threaded on the lower portion of the retrieving sleeve 66, which has an inwardly directed flange 83 adapted to engage an upper shoulder 84 on the latch sleeve when the entire setting tool B is tobe removed from the indexer A, as described hereinbelow.

The setting tool B is connected to the indexer A, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4a, and the apparatus is lowered in the well casing on the wire line D to the predetermined point at which the indexer is to be anchored against the casing C. When this point is reached, the setting tool B is actuated, as described in the above United States patents, producing a setting force pulling the mandrel 61 upwardly and pushing the setting sleeve 62 and adjustable setting sleeve 64 in a downward direction. The upward force and movement of the mandrel 61 is transmitted through the stud 69, tension rod 70 and cam 75 to the latch feet 73, which are threadedly connected to the body 14 of the tool, exerting an upward force on the body 14 which is transmitted through the spring seat 18, springs 20, alignment plate 21, and slip ring 23 to the slips 28. At the same time, the downward force on the setting sleeves 62, 64 is being transmitted to the housing 40 and the expander 34. When the upward and downward forces exceed the shear strength of the screws 35 releasa'bly and initially securing the expander 34 to the body 14, they are disrupted and the expander 34 is shifted downwardly along the body 14, While the body and the slips 28 are being shifted upwardly along the expander, the movement of the expander and slips toward each other expanding the slips 28 outwardly against the wall of the well casing C.

The force in the setting tool B increases to exert an increasing force on the mandrel 61, release stud 69, tension rod 70, and body 14, this force being transmitted through the springs 20, Which preferably are heavy springs and which are eventually compressed to their solid height. The setting force continues to increase in magnitude, resulting in an increasing wedging of the expander 34 behind the slips 28 to embed and anchor their teeth 31 more firmly into the wall of the well casing C. During the downward movement of the expander and the housing 40 along the body 14, the housing ratchet teeth 49 ratchet downwardly over the lock ring teeth 51, such teeth 49, 51 permitting d-ownwardmovement of the housing along the lock ring and 'body, but precluding return or upwardmovement. Accordingly, when the expander 34 has finally been wedged relatively downwardly behind the slips 28 to a maximum extent, the expander will be prevented from shifting upwardly relative to the body 14 and slips by virtue of the locking action of the lock ring 50 and the support ring 52 therebehind, which cannot move upwardly because of its engagement with the abutment ring 1 that is retained in the body groove 55 by the retrieving sleeve 42.

The setting force in the setting tool B continues to increase, and when the upward pull on the setting mandrel 61 and release stud 69 exceeds the strength of the latter at its weakened section 79, it will pull apart at the point, permitting the tension rod 70 to drop downwardly and removing the cam 75 from its holding location behind the threaded latch feet 73. The tension rod will drop downwardly until its shoulder 80 engages the latch sleeve shoulder 81, whereupon elevation of the wire line D and setting tool B will shift the mandrel 61 upwardly to pull the retrieving sleeve 66 upwardly until the flange 83 of the nut 82 engages the shoulder 84 on the retrieving sleeve 71. An upward pull taken thereon will then cause the upper inclined faces of the latch feet threads 74 to engage the body box threads 16 and shift inwardly to a released condition with respect to the threads 16, in effect, ratcheting upwardly along the latter until the feet are fully removed from the body box 15-. At the same time, the elevation of the setting tool elevates its adjustable setting sleeve 64 from the guide 41, the setting too-l B then being elevated on the wire line D to the top of the hole, leaving the indexer A fully anchored against the well casing and locked in such anchored condition by the ratchet lock device 42, 4-949. It is to be noted that rotation of the support ring 52 with respect to the body 14 is prevented by a key 86 secured to the body and slidable in a 'keyway 87 in the support ring.

Although the lock device will maintain the expander 34 firmly wedged behind the slips 28 to hold them anchored against the wall of the well casing, the springs 20, which, as indicated above, are heavy and exert a large compressive force, and which are actually compressed to solid height, exert a continuing force urging the slip ring 23 and the slips 28 in an upward direction and acting through the body 14 and the ratchet lock device to urge and retain the expander 34 in a downward position. These springs 20 insure the anchored condition of the slips 28 against the well casing and permit other mechanisms, such as the lower portion of the multiple injection packer M, to move and be snapped through the indexer A without effecting its release.

After removal of the setting tool B from the well casing, the perforator E is run therein on the wire line F, this perforator having its shots spaced at the preselected points along its length so that the lowermost set of shots will be spaced the appropriate distance above the anchored indexer A when the gun perforator rests thereupon. Preferably, the lower portion of the perforator has a shock absorber or shock isolator 90, which may be made of rubber or rubber-like material, formed thereon so that any shock incident to firing of the gun will be cushioned to some extent with respect to the imposition of a downward force on the retrievable indexer, A and will not inadvertently shift or release the latter in the casing.

Following the firing of the gun to produce the perforations P at the required predetermined points and in the appropriate pattern in the well casing C, the gun E is elevated from the well casing on the wire line F and removed therefrom. Thereafter, the multiple injection packer M is lowered on the tubing string R in the well casing. As stated above, an example of such packer is disclosed in United States patent application Ser. No. 510,001, and is adapted to be lowered into engagement and in operative association with the indexer A, at which time the lowermost packing element or elements 11 will be disposed below the lowermost set of perforations P,

the uppermost packing element or elements 12 being disposed above the uppermost perforations P. The uppermost inflatable packing element 10 is disposed immediately below the uppermost set of perforations, the lowermost inflatable packing element 10 being disposed immediately above the lowermost set of perforations, with the intervening inflatable packing element 10 being disposed immediately above and below each set of perforations. Although only three sets of perforations P are illustrated in the drawings, they can be provided in any required number, such as six, seven, ten, fifteen, twenty, etc. By way of example, the packing elements, when expanded against the well casing, may be spaced from each other on opposite sides of each set of perforations by about two feet, although longer and even somewhat shorter intervals can be used, if desired.

Only the lower portion of the multiple injection packer is shown in the drawings in detail, since the remainder of the tool can be the same as disclosed in the above-identified United States patent application. As illustrated, the multiple injection packer includes a central tubular body extending completely therethrough, there being a plurality of modules 101 secured to each other and surrounding the body, there being one module for each set of easing perforations P. The body 100 has side ports 102 along its length opening to the interior of the modules through which fluid will discharge, then passing through a suitable valve mechanism (not shown) in each module body 103 into a helical ratio tube 104, discharging from the tube and through a port 105 to the exterior of the module between a pair of spaced packing elements 10, 10, or 10, 11, or 10, 12, which straddle the perforations P, the fluid then passing through the perforations into the surrounding formation. The lowermost module body 103 has an upper gauge ring 106 threadedly secured thereto, and also the upper portion of a connector sleeve 107 slidable along the packer body 100. A seal ring 108 on the sleeve seals against the periphery of the body. A pair of initially retracted packing elements 11 of rubber or rubber-like material surround the connector sleeve 107, being separated by a spacer ring 109, the upper packing element 11 engaging the gauge ring 106 and the spacer 109, and the lower packing element 11 engaging the spacer 10 9 and a guide ring 110 slidable along the connector sleeve. This guide ring overlies an external lower flange 111 on the connector sleeve 107, and is also threadedly secured to the upper portion of a tie sleeve i112 threaded onto a control latch sleeve 113, being held in appropriate connected position therewith by an adjuster nut 114. A second adjuster nut 115 is threaded onto the control latch sleeve 113, there being a conical spring assembly 116 bearing thereagainst, such as Belleville springs, the lower end of which bears against a connector sleeve 117 threadedly secured to the upper end of a lower housing 110 that can fit within the upper guide 41 of the indexer housing 40, and which has lower tapered clutch teeth 119 adapted to mesh with companion upwardly projecting clutch teeth 120 on the upper end of the indexer housing 40, for the purpose of preventing rotation of the housing 118 of the multiple injection packer M. The control latch sleeve 113 has depending spring-like latch legs 121 terminating in latch feet 122 that have inner portions 123 initially fitting under a downwardly facing shoulder 124 on the packer body 100, for the purpose of preventing relative longitudinal movement between the body 100 and the control latch sleeve 113 and tie sleeve 112 during longitudinal movement of the packer in the well casing, thereby insuring the retention of the packing elements 11, 12 in their retracted position.

In FIGS. 6 and 6a, the latch feet 122 are shown after having been released from the shoulder 124, since the packing elements 11, 12 have been expanded outwardly against the well casing C. However, the latch feet 122 are initially disposed under the shoulder 124, as described above, being held in such position by the inner wall 125 of the connector 117. It is only after the lower housing 118 of the packer has come to rest upon the housing 40 of the indexer A that the packer body 100 and its control latch sleeve 113 can be shifted downwardly to a position in which the latch feet 122 are disposed below the connector 117 and can be shifted outwardly by the tapered body shoulder 124, which then permits the body 100 to move downwardly to a further extent. The lower housing 118 and connector 117 cannot shift downwardly, the downward movement of the body 100 moving the entire packer mechanism downwardly with it, as described in the above-identified United States patent application, to shift the gauge ring 106 and connector sleeve 107 downwardly with respect to the guide ring 110 and tie sleeve 112, compressing the packing elements 11. In shifting the latch feet 122 downwardly of the connector 117 to their released position, the Belleville springs 116 are compressed substantially to a solid height and will remain in that condition until the packer M is released from the casing.

The body 100 of the multiple injection packer M is adapted to extend downwardly into the body 14 of the indexer A, being threadedly secured to a body extension 100a which is adapted to extend completely through the indexer body 14 and its guide 25. An indicator sleeve 130 is threadedly secured to the body extension 100a, having a plurality of spring-like members 131 formed by a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots in the sleeve between its ends. The intermediate portions 132 of the spring-like members or beams 131 are enlarged and have downwardly tapering surfaces 133 and upwardly tapering surfaces 134, the unrestricted diameter of these intermediate portions being greater than the diameter of the passage 26 through the indexer guide 25, being required to snap therethrough. The lower taper 133 is greater or steeper than the upper taper 134, so that the sleeve 130 can snap through the guide 25 with lesser force when moving in a downward direction therethrough, and with greater force when moving in an upward direction therethrough, thereby giving an indication to the operator at the top of the well bore of the indicator 130 moving through the guide, and of the condition of the multiple injection packer M with respect to the indexer A. A bull plug 135 is threadedly secured to the lower end of the body extension 100a and extends through the indicator sleeve 130, as disclosed in FIG. 60.

In order to permit fluid to flow into the body 100 of the packer during its lowering in the well casing C, it is provided with side ports 136 adjacent to its extension 100a, this region being surrounded by a seal device 137 including seal rings 138 above and below the ports 136 spaced apart by a ported separator 139, the entire seal device being confined between a body shoulder 140 and the upper end of the body extension 100a. Initially, a valve sleeve 141 surrounds the seal device, as disclosed in FIG. 7, being in sealed engagement with the upper and lower seal rings 138, and being held initially in such position by a screw 142 bearing against the upper portion of the seal device 137. The screw 142, however, only releasably holds the valve sleeve fric-tionally in the position disclosed in FIG. 7. The valve sleeve has a plurality of small ports or choke orifices 143 so as to reduce the rate of flow of well casing fluid into the packer body 100, and thereby minimize the build-up of pressure in the body that might, perhaps, tend to expand the inflatable packing elements during longitudinal movement of the packer M in the well casing. However, when the lower portion of the multiple injection tool M is lowered into the anchored indexer A, the lower end of the valve sleeve 141 engages the upper end of the indexer body 14, the packer body then continuing moving downwardly within the latter to result in the removal of the seal rings 138 from the valve sleeve 141 and their location within and in sealed relation to the indexer body, effecting a closing and sealing of the body ports 136, as disclosed in FIG. 6b.

The multiple injection packer M embodies a mechanism for releasing and retrieving the indexer A, enabling the latter to be removed from the well casing simultaneously with removal of the packer therefrom. As specifically disclosed, the releasing and retrieving mechanism includes a split sleeve 150 which has an internal left-hand thread 151 meshing with a companion left-hand thread 152 on the exterior of the packer body and extending a substantial distance along its length. The sleeve is slidably splined to the packer housing 118 by a key 153 fixed to the sleeve, as by means of a screw 154, and slidable in a longitudinal housing slot 155. Secured to the sleeve is a latch support 156, by virtue of the overlapping support and sleeve flanges 157, 158, this latch support depending therefrom and having a retrieving latch sleeve 159 slida'bly mounted thereon. This sleeve 159 has circumferentially spaced slots 160 providing flexible latch legs 161 terminating in threaded foot portions 1'62 having left-hand threads 163 thereon adapted to snap into and mesh with left-hand threads 164 in the upper portion of the retrieving sleeve 42 of the indexer.

The latch sleeve 159 is shiftahle longitudin'ally to a limited extent along the latch support 156. When in its upper position therealong in engagement with the lower end 165 of the split sleeve 150, inward projections 166 on the latch feet 162 are disposed opposite a circumferential recess 167 in the latch support, permitting inward deflection of the latch feet, the teeth of which have lower faces 163a tapering in a downward direction so that upon entering the threaded box 164 of the retrieving sleeve 42, they can ratchet thereby. When the latch support 156 is shifted upwardly of the retrieving sleeve, after its threads 163 have meshed with the retrieving sleeve or box threads 164, the lower ends of the feet 162 engage a latch support shoulder 168 and contact the periphery 169 of the latch support, which prevents the feet from shifting inwardly and retains their threads 163 fully meshed with the threads 164 of the retrieving sleeve.

Initially, the retrieving latch sleeve 159 is disposed in the position illustrated in FIG. 6a, with the split sleeve 150 in its uppermost threaded position along the packer body 100. If retrieving is desired, the packer body is rotated, the split sleeve 150 being prevented from rotating because of its key connection 153, 155 in the lower housing 118 which is clutched to the housing 40 of the indexer A, that is anchored to the casing by the expander 34 and slips 28. Accordingly, right-hand rotation of the tubing string R and of the packer body 100 will cause the split sleeve 150 to thread downwardly along the body 100, the retrieving latch 159 moving downwardly with it until the threaded latch feet 162 are forced downwardly into the retrieving sleeve box 164, ratcheting over the threads 164 and coming into full threaded mesh therewith. At this time, an upward pull taken on the packer body 100 will be transmitted through the split sleeve 150, latch support 156, latch feet 162 and their threads 163 to the retrieving sleeve threads 164, exerting an upward pull on the retrieving sleeve 42. When such upward pull is sutlicient to shear the screws 43 holding the retrieving sleeve to the indexer body 14, the screws are disrupted, the retrieving sleeve 42 shifting upwardly until its upper end engages the downwardly facing shoulder 60 on the housing 40, the retrieving sleeve being elevated from the abutment ring 54 and allowing it to expand out of its groove 55, thereby removing restraint to upward shifting of the lock ring support 52 along the body 14. Upward movement of the packer body 100 will then result in elevation of the retrieving sleeve 42 and housing 40, and upward shifting of the expander 34 along the slips 28, effecting a retraction of the latter from the casing C, because of their tongue and groove interconnections 39, 38. The indexer A can now be elevated with the multiple injection packer M within and from the well casing Actually, the upward elevation of the packer body 100 to unset the indexer A will occur after fluid pressure therewithin has been relieved and after the packing elements 10, 11, 12 have all returned to their initial retracted positions. Thereafter, the body 100 will be rotated for the purpose of threading the retrieving latch 159 downwardly into engagement with the threaded box 164 of the retrieving sleeve 42, whereupon the release of the indexer A in the manner described above can occur, and the multiple injection packer and indexer removed as a unit from the well casing.

-In the use of the multiple injection packer M in connection with the indexer or locator A, previously anchored in the well casing to provide a reference point therewithin, the packer is lowered on the tubing string R in the well casing C after the casing has been perforted with the perforating gun E. The packing elements 10, 1-1, 12 of the packet are in retracted position, and, as has been stated above, they are spaced from one another appropriately so that the lowermost packing elements 11 will be disposed below the lowermost set of perforations P, the uppermost packing elements 12 above the uppermost set of perforations, and the intervening packing elements between adjacent sets of perforations. At this time, the valve sleeve 141 of the packer is located in the pOsitiOn illustrated in FIG. 7 so as to throttle the flow of fluid from the well casing to the interior of the body 100 and thence upwardly therethrough into the tubing string R, in order to guard against build-up of pressure in the packer body which might inadvertently expand the inflatable packing elements 10 out against the casing. All of the packing elements, including the lowermost packing elements 11 disclosed in FIG. 6, are in their retracted position, the packer body shoulder 124 being disposed above the inner projections 123 of the latch feet 122, being held thereagainst by the inner wall 125 of the connector 117 encompassing the latch feet, which are then disposed within the connector, rather than in the released position illustrated in FIG. 6a.

Upon reaching the anchored indexer A, the indicator portion 130 of the packer will enter the body 14 of the indexer, and when the indicator projections 132 engage the guide 25 of the indexer, a substantial force will be required to force the flexible beam members 131 of the indicator or snap sleeve through the guide, which force, for example, may be about 3,000 lbs. set-down weight. As a result, an indication is given to the operator at the top of the well bore that the indicator 130 is being pushed through the guide and that the lower portion of the packer housing 118 is near the upper end of the indexer housing 40. The tubing string R and packer M are then lowered an additional short distance to move the lower housing 118 into the indexer guide 41 and to mesh the clutch teeth 119, 120 with one another, the lower indicator 130 merely shifting down below the lower indexer guide 25. During such additional lowering movement of the packer body 100, its valve sleeve 141 engages the upper end of the indexer body 14, whereupon it Will come to rest in the position disclosed in FIG. 6b, the packer body 100 moving downwardly an additional short distance to place the seal rings 138 within the seal bore of the indexer body to fully close the body ports 136. Additional set-down weight, which, for example, might be at least 10,000 lbs., is then imposed on the multiple injection packer M, effecting a compression or flattening of the conical or Belleville springs 116 to shift the latch feet 122 to the released position from the shoulder 124, whereupon the body 100 can continue to move down to effect compression of the lower packing elements 11, as well as the upper packing elements 12 of the packer, and their outward expansion into sealing engagement with the wall of the well casing, as disclosed in FIG. 3, the expanded condition of the lower packing elements 11 also being shown in FIG. 6. More specifically describing the above operations, the Belleville springs retain the control latch sleeve 113 upwardly with respect to the connector 117 so that the latch feet 122 are encompassed by the latter, and are held under the packer body shoulder 124. However, after the packer housing 118 has engaged the indexer housing 40, the first set-down weight taken upon the upper packer M will result in compression of the Belleville springs to a sufficient extent as to shift the latch feet 122 down below the lower end of the restraining connector (initially the latch feet are disposed at the lowermost portion of the connector), allowing the latch feet to snap outwardly and free from engagement with the tapered body shoulder, whereupon the body is movable downwardly to effect the compression of the uppermost and lowermost packing elements 12, 11.

Fluid under pressure is then pumped down through the tubing string R and into the packer body 100, discharging through the body ports 102 (a multiplicity of which are disposed along the length of the packer body) and then through the control valve mechanisms (not shown) illustrated in the above-identified United States patent application, and through the helical ratio tubes 104 and the ports 105 for discharge through the sets of casing perforations P into the surrounding formation. Preparatory to opening of the control or limit valves (not shown), the inflatable packing elements 10 would have been expanded outwardly into sealing engagement with the Well casing C between the sets of perforations P, thereby isolating the sets of perforations from one another.

Different types of fluids can be injected from the apparatus through the casing perforations P and into the surrounding formation as required by the operation being performed, which, for example, may be a sand consolidation method or process described in the above-identified patent application.

Following completion of the injection of the fluid into the formation, the pressure in the tubing string R and packer body 100 is relieved, allowing the inflatable packing elements 10 to contract inherently. The upward shifting of the tubing string and body will then permit the uppermost and lowermost packing elements 12, 11 to retract inherently to their initial position, whereupon a continuation of the upward movement of the tubing string and body will shift the packer M upwardly of the unit. The enlargements 132 of the lower indicator will engage the lower end of the indexer guide 25, requiring a substantial force to contract the spring-like beam members 131 inwardly for passage through the guide, which will give an indication to the operator at the top of the well bore that the well packer is in condition for retrieval from the well casing, if desired. As an example, the force required to pull the indicator members 131. through the guide could be of the order of about 6,000 lbs. The tubing string R and the packer M can then be elevated in the well casing C and removed therefrom, leaving the indexer A in its anchored condition in the well casing. The slips 28 will remain in their anchored condition despite the force imposed on the indexer in shifting the packer indicator 130 downwardly and upwardly through the guide 25, such holding action being insured by the substantial force imposed by the compressed helical springs 20, as well as by the action of the lock mechanism 49-59 in securing the expander 34 and its housing 40 to the indexer body 14 against upward movement with respect thereto.

Ordinarily, the indexer A will be released through appropriate manipulation of the multiple injection packer M, being coupled thereto for retrieval from the well casing simultaneously with the multiple injection packer. After the multiple injection packer M has been manipulated in the manner described above to enable its packing elements 10, 11, 12 to retract from the well casing, the tubing string R and the packer body 100 are rotated to the right. Since the packer housing 118 is prevented from rotating by reason of its being clutched to the indexer housing 40, such right-hand rotation will effect a downward feeding of the split sleeve 150, latch support 156 and retrieving latch 159 along the body 100 of the tool M and within its lower housing 118, as described above. When the lowermost thread 163 of the latch feet 162 engages the uppermost thread 164 of the retrieving sleeve box, the retrieving latch 159 will be prevented from moving downwardly at that time, whereupon the continued rotation of the body 100 will cause the split sleeve 150 and latch support 156 to shift downwardly until the circumferential groove 167 of the latch support is disposed opposite the lower portions 166 of the latch members 162. Continued rotation of the body 100, or for that matter, its straight-line downward movement at this time, will cause the lower end 165 of the split sleeve to engage the upper end of the retrieving latch 159 and force its threads 163 downwardly along the threads 164 of the retrieving sleeve box, the threaded feet 162 being able to ratchet past the box threads by virtue of their ability to spring inwardly into the latch support groove 167.

After the latch threads 163 are disposed within the retrieving sleeve box 164, the taking of an upward pull on the tubing string R and the packer body 100 will move the lower portion 169 of the latch support behind the lower portion of the threaded latch legs, as determined by engagement of the lower end of the latch sleeve with the latch support shoulder 168, positively locking the latch threads 163 to the retrieving sleeve threads 164, as illustrated in FIG. 6a. Accordingly, the taking of a straightline upward pull on the tubing string R and packer body 100 with a sufficient force will shear the screws 43 releasably securing the retrieving sleeve 42 to the indexer body 14, which upward strain or pull might, for example, be about 10,000 lbs., the retrieving sleeve then being pulled upwardly along the body 14 and within the lower housing 40 to a position elevated above the abutment ring 54, the retrieving sleeve 42 moving upwardly until its upper end engages the housing shoulder 60, as disclosed in FIG. 10. When such engagement occurs, the continued upward movement on the retrieving sleeve 42 is then transmitted to the housing 40. Although the housing ratchet teeth 49 are still engaged with the lock ring teeth 51, the lock support 52 will engage the abutment 54 and shift it upwardly, camming it out of its groove 55, because of the tapered upper coengaging surfaces 58, 59 between the abutment ring and the upper side of the body groove. Accordingly, the indexer housing 40 and the expander 34 can shift upwardly along the body 14 and relative to the slips 28, the slips being pulled inwardly from the casing, due to the tongue and groove interconnections 39, 38 between the parts, the expander 34 being shifted upwardly until it engages the downwardly facing body shoulder 170 thereabove, the parts then being in the relative positions illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 10a. The packer M and the indexer A can then be elevated as a unit in the well casing C to the top of the well bore.

If desired, as indicated above, the multiple injection packer M is removable from the indexer without releasing the latter, and elevated to the top of the well bore. Thereafter, a suitable retrieving tool (not shown) can be lowered on a running-in string (not shown) in the well casing for latching into the threaded box 164 of the retrieving sleeve 42, an upward pull being taken thereon sufficient to shear the screws 43 and elevate it above the abutment ring 54, the retrieving sleeve being brought into engagement with the housing shoulder 60 for the purpose of effecting elevation of the expander 34 along the body 14 and with respect to the slips 28, in order toretract the latter from the well casing. The released indexer A can then be removed from the well casing by elevating the running-in string.

I claim:

1. In apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well casing disposed in a Well bore: a retrievable indexer adapted to be lowered in the well casing, said indexer including initially retracted anchoring means expandable outwardly against the casing to anchor the indexer thereto, and lock means for locking said anchoring means in its expanded condition anchored to the casing; a well packer adapted to be lowered in the well casing from the top thereof, after said indexer has been anchored in the well easing, into engagement with said indexer; said well packer comprising packing means for sealing against the well casing, said packer further comprising means connectible to said lock means for releasing said lock means and for releasing said anchoring means from the well casing to allow simultaneous withdrawal of said packer and indexer from the well casing.

2. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said'anchoring means including expander means slidable along said body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition; said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position releasing said lock means and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

3. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable along said body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means locked to said body, said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position unlocking said lock means from said body and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

4. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable along said body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said body, said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means connectible to said sleeve to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

5. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said packing means including expander means slidable on said body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative downward movement of said expander means with respect to said body and slip means; said lock means being connected between said expander means and body to prevent relative upward movement of said expander means with respect to said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition; said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member upwardly to a position releasing said lock means and into engagement with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

6. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said packing means including expander means slidable on said body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative downward movement of said expander means with respect to said body and slip means; said lock means being connected between said expander means and body to prevent relative upward movement of said expander means with respect to said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said body, said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means connectible to said sleeve to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

7. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said releasing means of said packer being movable downwardly into connected relation with said lock means in response to rotation of at least a portion of said packer.

8. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further comprising a body connectible to a running-in string for moving the packer in the casing; said indexer having a passage; said packer body being movable through said passage; and indicator means on said packer body engageable with said indexer to indicate the position of said packer with respect to said indexer.

9. In apparatus as defined in claim I; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer having a passage; said body being movable into said passage and coacting with said indexer to close said port.

10. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer having a passage; said body being movable into said passage and coacting with said indexer to close said port; and indicator means on said body engageable with said indexer to indicate the position of said packer with respect to said indexer.

11. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means; said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition; said releasing means of said packer being mounted on said packer body and being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position releasing said lock means and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing; said packer body being movable into said passage of said indexer body and coacting with said indexer body to close said port.

12. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expander thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means including a member retaining said lock means locked to said indexer body, said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position unlocking said lock means from said indexer body and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the easing; said packer body being movable into said passage of said indexer body and coacting with said indexer body to close said port.

13. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means; said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said indexer body, said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means connectible to said sleeve to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said indexer body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing; said packer body being movable into said passage of said indexer body and coacting with said indexer body to close said port.

14. In apparatus as defined in claim 1; said packer further including a tubular body connectible to a tubular running-in string for moving the packer in the casing, said tubular body having a port establishing communication between its interior and exterior; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means; said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said indexer body; said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means threadedly connected to said packer body and connectible to said sleeve in response to rotation of said packer body to enable elevation of said packer body to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said body, said sleeve being movable upwardly into engagement with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

15. In apparatus adapted to be lowered in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a retrievable indexer adapted to be lowered in the well casing, said indexer including initially retracted anchoring means expandable outwardly against the casing to anchor the indexer thereto, lock means for locking said anchoring means in its expanded condition anchored to the casing; a well packer adapted to be lowered in the well casing from the top thereof on a tubular running-in string, after the indexer has been anchored in the well easing, into engagement with said indexer; said well packer comprising a plurality of spaced packing means adapted to seal against the well casing on opposite sides of each of the plurality of perforated regions in the casing above the anchored location of the indexer therein; said well packer further comprising a tubular body and passage means for conducting fluids from said body to the exterior of said packer between said plurality of packing means; said packer also comprising means connectible to said lock means for releasing said lock means and for releasing said anchoring means from the well casing to allow simultaneous withdrawal of said packer and indexer from the well casing.

16. In apparatus as defined in claim wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition; said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position releasing said lock means and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

17. In apparatus as defined in claim 15; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means locked to said indexer body, said releasing means of said packer being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position unlocking said lock means from said body and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

18. In apparatus as defined in claim 15; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said indexer body, said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means connectible to said sleeve to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said indexer body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and efiect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

19. In apparatus as defined in claim 15; wherein said indexer comprises a body, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion means of said slip means, said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said indexer body, said releasing means of said packer comprising latch means threadedly connected to said packer body and shiftable downwardly into connected relation to said sleeve in response to rotation of said packer body to permit said packer body to elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said indexer body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

20. In apparatus as defined in claim 15; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent relative movement of said expander means away from said slip means after expansion of said slip means; said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition; said releasing means of said packer being mounted on said packer body and being connectible to said retaining member to shift said retaining member to a position releasing said lock means and into engagement with said expander means to move said expander means in a direction away from said slip means and thereby effect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said packer body having a port below its lowermost packing means and being movable into said passage of said indexer body and coacting with said indexer body to close said port.

21. In apparatus as defined in claim 15; said packer body further having a port below its lowermost packing means establishing communication between the interior and exterior of said packer body; said indexer comprising a body having a passage, said anchoring means including expander means slidable on said indexer body and slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative downward move ment of said expander means with respect to said slip means; said lock means being connected between said expander means and indexer body to prevent upward movement of said expander means with respect to said slip means after expansion of said slip means; said lock means including a sleeve encompassing a portion of said lock means to retain said lock means locked to said indexer body; said releasing means of said packer being threadedly mounted on said packer body and being shiftable downwardly into connected relation to said sleeve in response to rotation of said packer body to enable said packer body to move upwardly and elevate said sleeve above said portion of said lock means to unlock said lock means from said body and to engage said sleeve with said expander means to elevate said expander means with respect to said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing; said packer body being movable into said passage of said indexer body and coacting with said indexer body to close said port.

22. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to efiect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means being normally engaged with said body to prevent relative longitudinal movement of said lock means and said body, said lock means further comprising releasable abutment means carried by said body and engaged with said lock means, said abutment means being released from said body upon shifting of said retaining member to said position.

23. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said Slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to efiect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means comprising coengageable ratchet means on said body and said one of said means, said lock means further comprising releasable abutment means secured to said body and engaged by said ratchet means, said retaining member encompassing said abutment means to hold said abutment means secured to said body, said abutment means being released from said body upon shifting of said retaining member from its position encompassing said abutment means to release said ratchet means from said body.

24. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means comprising a support ring on said body having external cam means, an expansible and contractible lock ring surrounding said support ring and engaging said cam means, said lock ring having external ratchet teeth, said one of said means having internal ratchet teeth meshing with said external teeth, said body having a groove, a laterally shiftable abutment ring in said groove engaged by said support ring to prevent longitudinal movement of said support ring on said body; said retaining member encompassing said abutment ring to retain said abutment ring in said groove, removal of said retaining member from encompassing relation to said abutment ring releasing said lock means from said body.

25. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to eiiect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means being connected between said body and said expander means; said lock means comprising coengageable ratchet means on said body and expander means, said lock means further comprising releasable abutment means secured to said body and bearing against said ratchet means, said retaining member encompassing said abutment means to hold said abutment means secured to said body, said abutment means being released from said body upon shifting of said retaining means from its position encompassing said abutment means to release said ratchet means from said body; said member being shiftable into engagement with said expander means to shift said expander means longitudinally away from said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

26. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including-a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to effect [retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means being connected between said body and said expander means; said lock means comprising a support ring on said body having external cam means, an expansible and contractible lock ring surrounding said support ring and engaging said cam means, said lock ring having external ratchet teeth, said expander means having internal ratchet teeth meshing with said external teeth, said body having a groove, a laterally shiftable abutment ring in said groove engaged by said support ring to prevent longitudinal movement of said support ring on said body; said retaining member encompassing said abutment ring to retain said abutment ring in said groove, said member being shiftable from encompassing relation to said abutment ring to release said lock means from said body, said member being shiftable into engagement with said expander means to shift said expander means longitudinally away from said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing.

27. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock means to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing, and spring means engaging said slip means and body to urge said 21 slip means toward said expander means to retain said slip means expanded against the casing.

28. In apparatus adapted to be anchored in a well casing disposed in a well bore: a body; expander means slidable on said body; slip means engaging said expander means to be expanded thereby against the casing upon relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means toward each other; lock means connected between said body and one of said means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said expander means and slip means away from each other after expansion of said slip means, said lock means including a member retaining said lock means in locked condition, said member being shiftable to a position releasing said lock m ans to enable said slip means and expander means to move relatively longitudinally away from each other to effect retraction of said slip means from the casing, said lock means being connected between said body and said expander means; said lock means comprising a support ring on said body having external cam means, an expansible and contractible lock ring surrounding said support ring and engaging said cam means, said lock ring having external ratchet teeth, said expander means having internal ratchet teeth meshing with said external 22 teeth, said body having a groove, a laterally shiftable abutment ring in said groove engaged by said support ring to prevent longitudinal movement of said support ring on said body; said retaining member encompassing said abutment ring to retain said abutment ring in said groove, said member being shiftable from encompassing relation to said abutment ring to release said lock means from said body, said member being shifta'ble into engagement with said expander means to shift said expander means longitudinally away from said slip means and effect retraction of said slip means from the casing; and spring means engaging said slip means and body to urge said slip means toward said expander means to retain said slip means expanded against the casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,011,558 12/1961 Conrad 166--217 3,282,340 11/1966 Park .166182 JAMES A. LEPPINK, Primary Examiner. 

